Schedule-induced polydipsia as a function of the interval between food pellets

Abstract

Previous attempts to investigate the function-relating degree of polydipsia to interval duration have held constant either session length or the number of intervals per session. In the present study both were held constant by exposing rats to progressive-time and retrogressive-time schedules. In the former, the intervals between pellet deliveries became progressively longer during the session; in the latter, they became progressively shorter. Under both schedules, a bitonic relationship was observed between the total number of licks and the interval between food pellets.